Woodbine series on tap

After two preliminary rounds of pacing action, both the Blizzard and Snowshoe Series are set to wrap up over the next couple of evenings at Woodbine.



The $45,200 Blizzard--for 3 and 4-year-old fillies and mares who were non-winners of two races as of Oct. 31, 2005--has been carded as race five on Thursday's program.



Slated as the fifth race on Friday's docket, the $46,600 Snowshoe--restricted to 3 and 4 year olds who were also non-winners of two races as of Oct. 31, 2005--is a lead-in to a weekend at the Toronto oval where the stakes tilts will keep coming.



Conjugal Visit (PP7, Rick Zeron), a 4-year-old son of Artiscape trained by Mark Harder, will be looking for the sweep of the Snowshoe. Harder owns the gelded career winner of $36,126(C) along with Thomas Franchino, John Fodera and George De Filippo.



In the opening leg, Conjugal Visit took charge before the half-mile pole and pranced to a 3 ¼-length tally in 1:54. In the second leg, the bay with three career wins to his credit popped out from second before the half-mile call and grabbed the lead on the final turn. The result was another 3 ½-length margin of victory, but this time in a mark-lowering clocking of 1:51.4.



Handed post seven for the final, Conjugal Visit--who has been sent away as the post time favorite in his last four races--will start at the middle of the gate along with all of the Snowshoe's other preliminary victors.



Mr. Michael (PP4, Mark MacDonald), Whitesand Invader (PP5, Chris

Christoforou) and Bono Bests (PP6, Phil Hudon) have each taken turns tripping the timer over the past couple of weeks.



Bono Bests, a Pro Bono Best colt, is the lone 3 year old in the field.

Trained by Chad Milner and piloted by Phil Hudon, the Ivan Sugg-owned bay has only made eight career starts and has posted a 5-1-1 record, good for $36,390(C) in purses. He paced away to a 1:53.2 win during the opening leg, and last week finished second to Conjugal Visit in the aforementioned quick mile.



Trained by Joe Stutzman, Whitesand Invader turned a lot of heads last week when he also stopped the clock in 1:51.4. The 4-year-old gelded son of Dexter Nukes dropped quite a bit of time with regular partner Christoforou at his reins.



Performing out of the John Burns stable, Mr. Michael, a 4-year-old son of Astreos, paced to victory in the opening leg, and last week finished second to Whitesand Invader.



Exact opposite to the Snowshoe, the Blizzard's preliminary winners have drawn all across the starting gate for the final.



Tony Montini's pupil Betsy Hall (PP3, Rick Zeron, 5-2) is the lone 3 year old in the field. After pacing away on the field during her opening leg split--clocked in 1:55.4--the Cambest filly finished third to Bet Again Hanover last week.



Bet Again Hanover (PP10, MacDonald--another participant conditioned by Burns--will have to overcome the dreaded outer post. The 4-year-old Western Hanover mare converted a pocket trip last week, the second consecutive race that she went off at double-digit odds.



Drawing inside of Bet Again Hanover is Andromeda (PP9, Luc Ouellette) a 4-year-old Camluck mare who also found the winner's circle in the opening leg. Trained by Chad Schmiedge, the bay was a narrow victor in the opening round before finishing six to Ashlees Luck last week.



Ashlees Luck (PP6, Mario Baillargeon), a student of trainer Craig Barss, is also a Camluck mare. Her effort last week, clocked in 1:54.1, was a mark-lowering effort.



Stonebridge Capri (PP1, Paul MacDonell), didn't record a win in the preliminary legs, but was a close second in both of her contests. The Jim Miller-trained Island Fantasy mare cut the mile in both of her dashes and was just hauled down late in each race. She was three-quarters of a length short in the opening leg and was just a head back in her tilt during the second leg. (WEG)

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